The invention pertains to systems for the management and routing of optical fiber cables.
In the telecommunications industry, the use of optical fibers for signal transmission is accelerating. With the increased utilization of optical fiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industry attention.
On area where optical fiber management is necessary is the routing of optical fibers from one piece of optical fiber equipment to another. For example, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables may be routed between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminating equipment. In buildings and other structures which carry such equipment, the cable routing can take place in concealed ceiling areas or in any other manner to route cables from one location to another.
When routing optical fibers, it is desirable that any routing system will be readily modifiable and adaptable to changes in equipment needs. Accordingly a routing system is not practical which would require a high capital outlay and which could not be readily adapted to changes in a customer""s needs. Namely, if routing paths, once established, are forever fixed, the system cannot adapt. Also, and perhaps most important, any routing system must protect optical fibers from damage. In the use of optical fibers, it is recognized that the fibers should not bend beyond a minimum radius of curvature. For example, it is commonly recognized that optical fibers should not be bent in a radius of less than 1.5 inches. U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,131 discloses an optical cable exit trough addressing some of these concerns, however, there remains room for improvement.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, a cable routing system is disclosed for routing optical fiber cables between optical transmission equipment. The system includes a lateral trough section configured for defining a cable pathway. An exit trough is mountable to the lateral trough section to provide a cable exit pathway from the lateral trough section. The exit trough includes a bracket portion mountable to a top edge of the lateral trough section. Two curved lead-ins on opposite ends of the bracket portion each define a cable pathway leading to an exit trough portion extending from a middle of the bracket portion in a direction away from the lateral trough section. The exit trough portion includes a convexly curved bottom trough surface, two convexly curved upstanding sides on opposite sides of the bottom trough surface, and an upstanding guidewall for cable management.
In one embodiment, the exit trough includes an aperture for receiving a removable insert. The removable insert includes a major surface forming a portion of the bottom trough surface of the exit trough. The removable insert may include an upstanding guidewall for cable management.
The exit trough defines a cable pathway leading upwardly and away from the lateral trough section. The exit trough is mountable to the lateral trough section without modification to the lateral trough section. The exit trough can be placed generally at any location along the lateral trough section, and can be placed during initial system setup, or at a later time as the need arises for an exit pathway from the lateral trough section, such as when new optical transmission equipment is added to the system. The exit trough may include a downspout portion defining a downwardly directed cable pathway, or other directional pathway as desired. The insert with guidewall allows for cable management of the cables passing from the lateral trough section to the downspout or other directional pathway element.
In one preferred embodiment, the lead-in portions of the exit trough are configured to receive removable flanges for improved cable management.
In a further preferred embodiment, the exit trough may be covered by an exit cover which includes a cover plate hingedly mounted to a pivot plate. The exit cover is disposed over the exit trough and the lateral trough section. The hingedly mounted pivot plate allows access to the lateral trough section without having to remove the entire cover.